Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman tells Newsmax that the United States should do more to protect Christians in the Middle East who are being persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists.

Christians are increasingly coming under attack not only in Egypt, where they constitute about 10 percent of the population, but in Iran, Iraq, and other countries in the region.

“We have not paid enough attention to the discrimination, persecution of Christians in the Middle East, especially by Islamic fundamentalists,” Foxman tells Newsmax TV.

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“There’s a concern that if we speak out too strongly it may [have a negative] impact but we need to speak out. We need to set standards. We need to say that’s unacceptable.

“We’re watching a world where on Sunday they burn churches and on Friday they burn mosques. So there’s a lack of respect for religion.

“There is an effort in Congress to establish a special office to deal with religious freedom and religious tolerance globally, especially as it relates to fundamentalism. There is an ambassador, if you will, monitoring anti-Semitism and this is a welcome effort.

“One needs to focus on freedom of religion, respect, and tolerance, and it will deliver a message that America cares.”

See other exclusive excerpts from the Newsmax interview with Abraham Foxman:

Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman tells Newsmax that the United States should do more to protect Christians in the Middle East who are being persecuted by Islamic fundamentalists.